Waterproof watch



All@ 14, '1945- v E. KUIPcHlcK 2,382,728

WATER-PROOF WATCH Filed Feb. 15, 1943 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 14, 1945UNITED i STATES'-` 'PATENT OFFICE l 2,382,728' y WATERPROOF WATCH EdwardKupchick, Brooklyn, N. Y., assigner to Bulova, Watch Company, New York,N. Y., a corporation of New York s n g Application February 15, 1943,Serial No. 475,887

Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in watch construction and moreparticularly to what is termed a moisture-proof watch.

Many construction have been proposed wherein the elements of a watchcasing have been fashioned and fittedv to prevent the entrance ofmoisture adding to the manufacturing cost in therequired accuracy of theparts. In cases where a watch is subjected to severe treatment such as`1;

such construction as to be economical to manufacture and effective insealing a movement from moisture as well as dust particles.

A further object of the inventionv is to provide a substantiallyone-piece casing for a watch movement in the form of a shell or capsule,preferably of a plastic material either transparent, translucent oropaque.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more readilyunderstood from the following description and accompanying drawing, inwhich Fig. 1 is a wrist Watch constructed in accordance with the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View of a watch shown in Fig. 1 on lineII--II.

Fig, 3 is a cross-sectional View of the watch parts ready for assemblyabout the movement.

Fig. 4 is a front view of the watch movement sealed in a water-tightcasing ready to be enclosed in a casing and Fig. 5 is an edge view ofthe movement in its Water-tight casing.

Although the present invention is shown as applied to a wrist watch itis evident that other types of horological instruments may bewaterproofed by the present novel construction As shown more clearly inFig. 3 the present invention may include a bezel I0, a cover II and amovement I2 provided with a dial I3 in the usual manner.

In accordance with the present invention a band or ring I4 is providedto fit the circular periphery of the movement, the inner surface of theband being suitably stepped or recessed to receive the movement.

The band I4 serves as a receiver or support for a capsule I5 whichcompletely encloses the movement and seals it from the atmosphere. Thiscapsule is preferably of a plastic material and portion `material of theelements providing the surfaces 2I and 22 constitute flanges'23 and 24respectively which meet centrally of the ring and arev provided withoverlapping edges 25 and 26 to provide joining surfaces to receivecement for sealing the elements into an integral member or capsule. Thesurfaces of` the flanges 23 and 24 provide large areas for sealing orcementing to the ring I4.

It` will be readily appreciated that byA reason of the substantiallyone-piece enclosure provided by the capsule or imperforate compartmentthat the movement is completely sealed against the entrance of moistureor foreign matter.

For the purpose of winding and setting the watch it is necessarytoprovide a passage for the stem and to complete the seal the presentinvention provides an effective seal which permits the required movementof the stem.

As shown the ring I4 is provided with a tubular extension 26 throughwhich the stem 21 extends into the winding and setting mechanism and isadapted for endwise or longitudinal movement in the usual manner. Theelements I6 and I1 are received to t about and adapted to be cemented orotherwise sealed around the exten-v sion 2B.

The stem 21 is provided with an operating head or crown 28 having anannularv internal slot 29 containing a suitable packing material 30 thesurface 3| of which makes resilient water-tight contact with the surfaceof the upper end of the extension 26. The crown and stem are thus freeto rotate or move endwise while maintaining an hermetic seal between theinterior of the capsule and the atmosphere.

From the foregoing it will be evident that when a watch movement isenclosed in its capsule with the stem in place with the seal effectingcrown, that it is in fact a complete product and may be sold as such tobe enclosed in any suitable type of outer casing.

In the present embodiment of the invention the capsule enclosed movementis provided with the bezel III and back cover II. The movement with itssealed enclosure ts into the bezel so as to expose the crystal portionI8 of the capsule and the cover Il is snapped or otherwise secured tocomplete the casing. As shown the extension 26 is provided with a.flattened portion or lug 32 and a slot 33 is provided in the bezel thuswhen the bezel is in place to receive the cover the slot and lug serveto align the parts.

Although water-tight Watches have been heretofore proposed no one so faras I am aware has provided a complete one-piece water-tight seal such asaccomplished by the plastic capsule provided in accordance with thepresent invention which entirely encloses the watch movement. Thiscapsule may be of any suitable material such as a synthetic resin, asfor example, methyl acrylate ester which may be cast or molded.-Obviously other forms of Plastics may be employed such as a celluloseacetate and others sold under various trade names on the market.

By reason of the present construction which provides a capsule initiallyin two parts it is possible, it desirable to insure against subsequentcondensation within the container, to seal the movement while in a dryatmosphere, thus .excliidingany moisture that might canse corrosion andin pneviding `a capsule through which moisture will not diffuse. i

Although a. preferred embodiment .of the inventlon is shown anddescribed herein, it is to be understood `that modifications may be madewithout departing from the scopeof the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A watch comprising a` movement, ,a bami fitted to and surrolmdhag theperiphery o! ysaid movement, -a two part capsule, said band having asurface to receive and `seat ilanges of said two part capsule, saidcapsule enclosing said band and movement with opposingedges of saidflanges of the capsule parts sealed together to constitute n one piecehermeticaiiy `sealed container encloslng said band and movement.

2. Awatcli` comprising acasing including a bezel and a back cover,` amovement; a band fitted to and surrounding the periphery lof saidmovement, a sealed enclosure for said movement loonsisting of a two partcapsule of plastic material each of said parts having a flange with theedges thereof sealed together to provide a homogeneous housing for saidmovement, a tubular extension projecting from said band and sealedthrough said housing for a stem whereby the sealed movement may beinserted into or removed from said casing as a complete unit.

3. A time piece comprising a casing including a bezel and a back cover,a removable hermetically sealed movement for said casing consisting of aband fitted to and surrounding said movement, a two part transparenthermetically sealed casing mounted on said band and enclosing saidmovement and a tubular member extending from said band for a. stemextending from said movement, said parts having flanges disposed aboutsaid band with the edges of said flanges in sealed relation said sealedcasing serving as a crystal when `said sealed casing is positionedadjacent to said bezel and held by said back cover said sealed casingbeing removable as a complete time piece unit upon a removal of saidback plate.

4. A watch comprising a band, a movement removably mounted in said band,a'tubular extension projecting from said band to receive a watch stem, aplastic :back cover having a flange clisposed about the outer surface ofsaid band enclosing the rear of said movement, a `transparent plasticcover having ailange disposed about the outer surface of said bandenclosing the `dial of said movement; said flanges having opposite edgesin sealed relation, a casing having a. bezel disposed adjacent to saidtransparent front cover and a back cover for said casing.

5. In a moisture proof watch comprising a movement, a band surroundingsaid movement, a capsule of `plastic material enclosing said -band andmovement, said capsule .consisting of a crystal provided with an annularflange surrounding said band, and a back cover having 1an annular flangesurrounding said band, the opposite edges of said flanges being insealed relation to provide a homogeneous enclosure for said movement.EDWARD KUPCHICK.

